As I've admitted several times on this site, I'm a Negative Nelly when it comes to the Dodgers. Contrary to popular belief, it's not because I hate Ned Colletti and I'm actually part of the propaganda department of the Giants. I'm so bitter about this team because, well, they've never given me a reason not to be. These are the teams with less playoffs victories than the Dodgers since 1988:
Montreal/Washington
Tampa Bay
Kansas City
Milwaukee
That's it. One franchise that's existed for nine years, and the laughing stocks of baseball. Since my first memories of baseball date back to 1989, the Dodgers have never given me a reason not to be bitter. I've rooted for this team for 18 years now and what have they given me? One post-season victory. How sad is it that the list of Dodger heroes of the last 20 years goes Kirk Gibson, Jose Lima? On that note, how sad is it that a guy becomes a post-season hero because he had a good outing in game three of the Division Series.
2006 actually gave me hope. We had an amazing streak where we won 17 of 18 games, had one of the greatest comebacks of all time, got awesome production out of schmoes like Aaron Sele and Marlon Anderson, and was facing a Mets team that had degenerated to the point where John Maine was the game one starter. Quite frankly, this team seemed destined to at least win a playoff game, to pull us ahead of Texas and Colorado on that playoff victory list.
Two innings into this, Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew get thrown out at home plate, which will be played right next to the ball bouncing off Jose Canseco's head on some episode of This Week In Baseball in 2015. As much as I try to be rational about baseball, I pretty much gave up hope right then and there.
I want this team to win. Badly. I want to feel like I'm rooting for this team for a reason, and not just giving myself some form of Sisyphean punishment. This is supposed to be one of the premier franchises in major league baseball and for close to 20 years, they've done nothing. I've seen Hall of Famers traded away for peanuts, incompetent ownership, and was forced to witness Jose Offerman play shortstop for five years. In return for this, seeing Chan Ho Park Kung-Fu kick Tim Belcher is one of my top five Dodger memories. So, when I see this team block young, exciting players with Luis Gonzalez or trade away other young players for Mark Hendrickson, it just drives me further into despair.
For all those of you who are really hyped about the upcoming season, how do you do it? How do you keep your chin up after 18 years of punishment? How do you go into another season and not expect some kind of horrible failure? Why am I supposed to be hyped up about a team that probably won't crack 90 wins despite the best core of young players in baseball and a top five payroll? I'm tired of accepting mediocrity, and despite every advantage that this team has, we're looking at a season where 87 wins will be seen as a success, and I'm sick of it.
Yes, I'm a very bitter fan, and I am down on this team. And you know what, I'm going to continue to be down on this team until they actually gives me a reason not to be. If you want someone who can be positive about this team no matter what, I'm just not that guy.